


Sizzle and Scandal

by triaux



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Chefs, Backstory, Chefs, Cooking, Cooking Lessons, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:16:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8318818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triaux/pseuds/triaux
Summary: John Silver has found himself in a strange situation: Teaching a rather refined cooking class. He didn't really want to be here, but events in his life always seem to take a strange turn. They get even stranger as he finds out exactly who's job he has taken.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome new and returning readers of my fics! I can't wait for this story to come alive! The idea came to me a while back and I'm excited to finally write it. Let me know how you feel about it so far :)

 

"And then you use this wire...thing… to stir it all together.”, John says, demonstrating.  
The class looks at him with blank stares and he smiles at them nervously.

“Right”, he continues, “then you pour everything into the pot and let it bubble for, oh, around twenty minutes.”

He sets the timer, then pours the contents in the pot and adjusts the heat of the oven. Everyone stays glued to their spots until he prompts,“Well, go on then!”

The class of twenty starts to follow his instructions, chopping the tomatoes and measuring out the array of spices.  
Silver stands at the head of room at his table and supervises, pointing and making comments every now and then. He glances at the clock.  _Not much longer._

After his timer goes off and he lifts the lid of his pot to check the dish. A simple shrimp and mango chutney. It looks pretty good, he thinks and several people come forward to view his dish so they can see how their’s compares. One man asks, “Why put the green tomato in along with the red?”

John narrows his eyes at the scruffy looking guy. His nametag reads ‘Jack’ and he appears to be here with his wife or girlfriend, although judging by the way she is sitting on her stool in the back of the room with her arms crossed, he seems to be having more fun than she is.

“Well, the green tomatoes make the dish more colorful.”, John supplies.  
Jack looks like he’s going to ask another question, but John is saved by the shrill rings of the many timers scattered throughout the clean looking room.The pairs go back to their stations and most of their dishes look quite good.

“Wonderful, everyone!”, John claps his hands together and walks around to sample the food.He makes a big circle back to the front of the room and exclaims, “Great progress on the first day; it all looks delicious! But I’m afraid I must head out a bit early tonight, though I look forward to seeing you all again next week.”

Before anyone can reply, he speeds out of the room, his apron strings trailing behind him.

 

\-----

 

John Silver is not a chef.

He barely even cooks at home other than pasta and the occasional grilled cheese, but if there is enough money involved, John Silver can be anything people want him to be.

A week ago, an opportunity arose that he simply could not turn down. While talking with one of his ‘associates’, he was informed of a job opening: A chef at the Culinary Arts School at Providence (though most called it CAP for short). The position was meant to be filled by some other chef. Some a guy named Flint. But it was easy enough to forge some papers and feed people false information.

John was just in it to receive the outrageous profit from the job, then he could move on to his next scheme. However long that would take was up to his acting abilities. Or cooking abilities, he should say.

The first day went surprisingly well. He'll have to step it up next week though. It's a six week course for all who wish to improve their culinary skills and have the money to attend. So naturally: the upper class who have nothing better to do.

John scoffs at the thought as he reaches the bottom of the stairs. It’s raining and dark as he runs out across the parking lot. He sits in his car, and takes off his soaking chef’s hat.

He covers his face. He really didn't want to end up here. It just sort of happened, or that's what he keeps telling himself.

John’s been doing odd jobs and professionally scamming people for some time now- since about eight years ago when he graduated from his community college with a degree in business.

He had gotten a job managing the funds for a large scale shipping company, but the real world wasn't quite what he made it out to be, and he wasn't making the big bucks like he’d imagined.

That was when it started.

One day while looking over the financial transactions, he noticed a whole two thousand dollars in excess had been added to the company's inventory by a competitor they were buying from.

What the money was doing there though, John couldn't figure out. He should have reported it. He should have done his job to sort the mess out.

Instead, what he did was to learn how to create an account that siphoned whatever money that was left over in either budget at the end of the month, so made its way straight into his pocket. And the best part? It was untraceable and the company assumed they were simply managing quite well with their quotas.

Technically embezzlement, but John tried not to think about that.

Miraculously he never got caught and soon the young man was making more green than the C.E.O. of the corporation.

Around six months later, another idea came to mind. If he could get away with this at one business, then why not another? And it would certainly be dangerous to stay in one area for too long….

So he quit his job and spent the next few years perfecting his methods. He grew quite wealthy, even after purchasing some luxury items, until one unfortunate night about a year ago when he was in Vegas and he became too brazen with his bets.

In one bad hand, John had lost more than half of all he owned, and this time, he was too inhibited to talk or cheat his way out of it.

That was the night he met Max.

She was beautiful with her olive skin and thick curls, and she had been sending John glances all night from across the bar.

He decided to talk to her. A man can dream.

After chatting and clumsily flirting, he learned that she was not interested in him per se, but _would_ allow him to pay her for her ‘services’.

 _Why not?_ He had already lost most of his money anyways.

Looking back on it, he only made the decision because he was drunk and dejected. He barely even remembers getting to the hotel, let alone having sex with her.

What he does remember is that she was still there when be woke up with a raging hangover the next day. It turned out that she was just as fucked as he was.

The two lost souls decided to make a deal and to help each other out. They could find opportunities and learn to network. They had a common goal: to make money and to stay safe.

So far it had worked out, and they soon found themselves working odd jobs, doing everything from selling questionable goods to leading private city tour groups.

Once time, John took away prize money from winning a street race in the morning, and later that day got payed to help set up a history museum gallery. Not to mention the various scams he had organized. 

And now, as John sits in his car in his chef's apron, he wonders if this was all a mistake. He should have just earned money like a regular person and shouldn't have screwed up his life like this.

Maybe once this job is over he could find a place and settle down. He could apply for a permanent position somewhere. Buy a house, have a house and a dog. It would be nice.

Though, this wouldn't be the first time he's told himself he’d quit. He always ends up going back to his bad habits.

John drives back to his apartment outside the city, and has trouble falling asleep that night despite the relaxing sound of rain.


End file.
